Halfway round, I stop and look at her firmly.
“Luna, just get what you want. Don’t worry about the cost, I can afford it.”
I see the pride enter her eyes as she regards me with a cool expression. “That may be so but I shop the only way I know how. Just because you can, it doesn’t mean you should. Why pay more than you have to for anything? Take this pasta for example. When it’s cooked, nobody would know this variety was $1 cheaper than the other. You really should take more care with your money, Dev. It’s a sin to waste what you work so hard to earn.”
She turns away to grab a tin of tomato sauce and I smile to myself. She is so refreshing. Like a ray of sunshine in a dark cave. She lights up parts of me that have been long forgotten. Luna is so different to any other woman I have ever met. They would have preferred to eat out and the daily shop was a chore to endure. As I watch Luna taking great delight in choosing the most mundane of things it reminds me just how special she is.
By the time we reach the checkout the trolley has been filled with everything we need to make our meals and nothing more. There are no treats or bottles of wine to bump up the total. She has only chosen healthy food that will not go to waste. I knew I liked this girl.
The cashier puts the shopping through and Luna chats with her as she works. I notice the warm way she has with people and the way the cashier responds. She likes her, I can tell. The man packing the shopping is also looking at her with adoration and it doesn’t surprise me. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever met. Fresh-faced, with a style all of her own. Even after the night we’ve had she looks beautiful. I could watch her forever; she fascinates me in every way.
However, my contemplation of Luna is interrupted by a nervous cough beside me. I look toward the man standing there and note the worry in his eyes and the nervous sweat breaking out across his forehead. He stutters,
“Mr. Knight, we are honored by your visit. If I’d known you were coming, I would have prepared to show you around.”
I note Luna look at us with surprise and the staff suddenly sit straighter and look more professional. Just for a moment I wonder what on earth is going on and then the realization hits me. Of course, I own this shop along with many others. I forget what’s mine and what’s not these days. I just nod to him coolly.
“This is not a business visit. I’m here with my friend to pick up our groceries. I didn’t think I needed to make an announcement.”
I glare at him and note the panic enter his eyes and I feel irritated. He has ruined the moment and now I just want to get the hell out of here. It’s no wonder I never do my own shopping if this is the treatment I get.
Luna watches the exchange with interest then she looks at the manager with a smile that brings out the sun. She rolls her eyes and says sweetly. “You have a lovely store Mr.…?”
He colors up and says quietly, “Sidney Rawlins, ma’am.”
She holds out her hand. “Luna, I’m pleased to meet you. I must say Betty here has been most helpful, as has Harry with the bags. Your staff are a credit to you, Sidney. You should be very proud.”
I watch as he pulls himself up and looks as proud as if he owned the store himself. The staff also look pleased and Luna smiles at me softly.
“What do you think, Dev? You must be so happy to have such amazing staff.”
All eyes turn to me and I just nod, “Yes, of course. All appears to be in order here. Now, how much do we owe?”
The manager looks uncomfortable and shares a look with the cashier as if weighing up his words. Then he reddens as he says. “Please apply the usual staff discount, Betty.”
I look at Luna incredulously as she squeals, “Oh Sidney, you’re such a darling. It’s no wonder you do so well looking after your customers so sweetly. Isn’t that kind of him, Dev?”
I look at the manager in astonishment. No, it most certainly isn’t fine. Why should I get a discount when I own the place? It’s all my money anyway, and this is no way to keep the registers full. Then I catch the hard glint in Luna’s eyes and just nod, dragging a smile from somewhere deeply buried under this farce. “Yes, thank you.” I hand over my credit card and feel impatient to leave. All I want is to be with Luna, nobody else and they have ruined what was proving to be a very enjoyable trip.
Grabbing the bags, I thrust them into the trolley and nod to the staff and it’s only when I reach the door, I realize Luna is still chatting to them. I hear her laughter waft across the store toward me and despite my irritation, I smile. The sound of her happiness calms my rage. All I want is to hear her laugh and drive the pain from her heart.
As we head home Luna sighs and I look at her in surprise. “What?”
She shakes her head. “You. For someone who has it all, you have a lot to learn about people. That poor man was beside himself and just one kind word would have made his year. I don’t understand you, Dev. You are so kind in many ways and yet so cruel in others. You really should brush up on your people skills you know. You can go far if you just know what makes people tick.”
I shake my head and laugh to myself. If only she knew what people skills I excel at, she would run for the hills.
As we drive up to the house, I see Caleb and Marius walking back from the barn where we keep our cars. They prefer their motorbikes and are dressed in their usual leather jackets and jeans. As they see us coming, I note the frowns appear on their faces. Great, just what I need.
Luna looks at me and says softly. “Are they your sons, Dev?”
I nod and she smiles. “I thought so, they look just like you. How old are they?”
I shake my head. “Teenagers and hell to live with. Don’t expect many conversations from them, Luna. In fact, don’t expect much from them at all. They spend their time in their rooms or the gym when they’re here and you would be hard-pressed to get a civil word out of them.”
She falls silent as we stop in front of the house and I call out to them.
“Come and help with these bags. This is Luna, she’s staying here for a while.”
I glare at them with a look to mind their manners and treat her with respect. If I know my boys they will be as dismissive of her as they are of me.
I note the interest in their eyes and scowl. Luna is drop-dead gorgeous and even in her ripped jeans and t-shirt that’s seen better days, she outshines every girl I’ve ever met.
She smiles at them adorably and says softly. “My goodness, this family must turn heads wherever they go. I’m Luna, I work for your father and he’s kindly offered me a place to stay while …”
She suddenly looks down as the events come back to her and I note the tears pooling in her eyes. The boys look at me in surprise and then Marius says softly, “Hi, I’m Marius.”
She looks up and I see the gratitude in her eyes. Caleb just snorts. “Welcome, Luna. Maybe we can finally get something to eat in this hell hole.”
I frown as Luna giggles. “Let me make you all a breakfast to say thanks for taking me in. It’s the least I could do. I have to earn my bed and board and can think of no better way than taking care of you all.”
She turns to me and smiles which hits my heart like a thunderbolt. “Is that ok, Dev? I mean, I don’t want to step out of place if you’d rather I didn’t.”
I must look at her with a look that I’ve never used before because the surprise in my boy’s eyes almost makes me laugh out loud. I nod and reach for the bag she is carrying. “Our home is your home, Luna. You do whatever makes you comfortable.”
She smiles and follows me inside, the boys bringing up the rear. It feels so right and as if the heart has finally been restored to our lives. Luna is home where she belongs, by my side for now and eternity. She just doesn’t know it yet.
~ 14 ~
Devlin
“Oh my God Dev, I’m in heaven. This kitchen is totally amazing, you’ve got everything.”
I note the laughter in the boy’s eyes as they sit at the table watching her. Unlike them, they decided to
stick around, probably enjoying the floor show. Luna has dragged me into it and got me preparing the food with her. She chats constantly and asks the boys many questions. I’m not sure if she notices they speak in monosyllables because she talks enough for all of us.
She’s soon rustled up a feast of pancakes, eggs, bacon and fresh fruit. I’m made to squeeze the oranges she bought into a jug, which she does something with to make the most incredible fresh orange juice.
We all sit around the large table like I imagine a proper family would and the boys wolf down the food as if they have been starved for years. Luna smiles happily as they clear their plates and I’m no exception. Who ever knew food could taste this good? Caleb looks at her appreciatively.
“Thanks, darlin’, you’ve got the job.”
Marius laughs and nods in agreement. “How long did you say you were staying?”
Lunas eyes cloud over and I look at Marius with exasperation. He shrugs and the two of them kick back their chairs and disappear off to their rooms. I watch as Luna smiles bravely but I see her lip tremble and her eyes fill with tears. I feel the anger growing as I think of the men who caused this and then push it down as quickly as it came. Their time will come. Marius and Caleb did a good job in scaring the hell out of them but there is no escape from me for an unrepentant soul. I will deal with them personally.
Luna sniffs and tries to cover her distress by collecting the plates.
“I’ll just clear this lot up and then if it’s ok with you, I could do with freshening up.”
Reaching out, I take the dishes from her hand and note the surprise in her eyes.
“Leave this, it’ll keep. You need some sleep and so do I. The boys can sort this out, it’s the least they can do. Come, I’ll show you to your room.”
She opens her mouth to argue but I place my finger to her lips and silence her words.
“Non-negotiable. Come, you must be worn out.”
I lead her to the large staircase that dominates the center of the house. She is quiet beside me and I feel the worry in her soul. She needn’t worry, I have no other motive than caring for her.
I take her to the guest wing of the house where she will have full use of it. A suite of rooms fit for a princess and she gasps as I show her inside. The first room is decked out with a couch and television. The room is light and sunny and there is everything here that any visitor would need.
She shakes her head in wonder. “Wow, Dev. This room’s amazing. You’re so lucky to live in such an amazing house.”
I grin and show her the bedroom. and she gasps as she sees the huge comfortable bed that appears lost within the large room. Mirrors and Art adorn the walls and the carpet is the softest white. She races into the adjoining bathroom and squeals as she sees the huge tub and walk-in shower. Even that room is bigger than her apartment and she appears lost for words.
I laugh softly and reveal the final room. The walk-in closet that’s been kitted out to resemble a small boutique. I’ve amassed enough from my ex-girlfriends over the years, not to mention my daughter’s cast offs, and most of it is stored here. There should be everything a girl could need and yet it still isn’t enough for her. I want to give her so much more.
She looks around with wide eyes and I smile softly.
“You should find everything you need here. Please use this as your own. It belongs to nobody, so help yourself. If you prefer, I have your own belongings in the room next door. You can use them to put around you to make it feel more like home.”
For a moment I think she’s going to cry. She looks at me with such emotion my heart almost stops beating. That look tears through my heart and shatters it in a million pieces. It’s all in that look. The gratitude, the disbelief, the yearning and the realization that she has nothing to fear. She’s safe here and cared for and has probably never felt it in her life before.
Then to my complete surprise, she moves across and wraps her arms around me and squeezes me tight. She lays her head against my chest and whispers softly, “Thank you. Thank you so much. Words aren’t enough to express what you’ve given me. It’s not all of this, it’s your generosity of spirit. You have shown me that there are good people in the world and you’re one of them.”
She pulls back and her eyes shine with unshed tears. “Thank you, Devlin. I’ll never forget your kindness.”
Then she hugs me again and as I wrap my arms around her, I feel an emotion that I never thought was meant for me. I feel pure and unconditional love for the woman who has bulldozed her way into the blackest of hearts. She’s pierced the shell of darkness that’s surrounded me my entire life and let a small sliver of light inside. She has given me so much more than I could ever give her. She has given me hope.
~ 15 ~
Luna
When I wake, I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven. The room is bathed in a white light and everything seems serene and peaceful. Despite the events of yesterday, I slept surprisingly well. When Dev left, I made full use of the large bath and wrapped myself in the most gorgeous nightdress. Then I sank into the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in and fell asleep almost instantly.
I don’t even think I dreamt because when I wake, I feel re-charged and invigorated. Then it all comes rushing back and I jump out of bed and pull on some clothes.
I need to get to the hospital. It’s been hours since we left and I need to see Sly. Suddenly, it’s the most important thing in my life.
As I race downstairs, I pray that somebody is there. I need a ride to the hospital as we are so far out it would take me hours to walk to the bus station.
As soon as I enter the kitchen, I see him. Devlin Knight, the man who has dominated my thoughts and proven to be my knight in shining armor. He turns around and I catch my breath. He is magnificent.
There is a power to the man that takes my breath away. Not only is he devastatingly handsome, but he commands your attention as if there is no one else in the world but him. His eyes pull me in and suck the resolve from my soul. I find myself yearning to be close to him and craving a smile from that enigmatic mouth. I try to slow my breathing but he is too much. He turns my legs to jelly and scrambles my brain. He spells danger on every level and I am lost to him.
He smiles softly. “Did you sleep well?”
I nod and he gestures to the jug of juice on the table.
“Help yourself. There’s still some left, despite my sons. Can I fix you a coffee or how about a hot chocolate that someone showed me is the best drink in the world?”
I feel strangely flustered and just smile shyly.
“Juice is fine. Um... how about you, did you sleep well?”
He nods and looks at me with interest and I see a spark in his eyes and a wicked gleam. He knows he affects me, that’s obvious. He’s loving it and so I try to concentrate on something else.
“So, where are the boys? I was hoping that someone could give me a ride to the hospital.”
He smiles. “I’ll take you. Have something to eat and drink and then we’ll head off.”
I take the seat he offers and look at him with a worried expression. “You don’t have to, you know. I mean, you’ve done so much already and I know you’re a busy man. I really don’t expect you to put yourself out.”
He leans over and places his hand on mine and I shiver with a feeling that can only be described as desire. Raising my eyes to his, I almost drown in the dark pools that draw me in.
“One good thing about being the boss is you can cut the office whenever you want.”
I nod and then feel alarmed as I remember he’s also my boss.
“Oh, um… I forgot to call Marcus. He’ll be wondering what’s going on and I’m due there in a couple of hours.”
Devlin laughs. “I’ve cleared it already. You’re not expected in for the foreseeable future.”
I feel the worry taking hold. “Am I... um ... fired?”
He laughs even louder. “Of course not. Why would we fire our main attraction? No,
you need some compassionate leave and you can take as long as you want, you’re on full pay. Anyway, eat up and then we’ll go and check on your friend.”
As I do as he says I feel relieved. At least that’s one less thing to worry about - for now, anyway.
One hour later we are walking toward Sly’s room and I’m almost hyperventilating with worry. Devlin has hold of my hand which far from feeling strange, feels like the most natural thing in the world.
As we reach the room, the doctor comes out and as he sees us something flickers in his eyes. My heart sinks as I know that look. Things are not looking good and my heart sinks.
I say fearfully, “Please doctor, how’s Sly?”
He shakes his head and gestures toward the room we waited in last night.
On shaking legs, I follow him in and he looks at me with a gentle expression.
“I’m afraid he’s unresponsive. The machine has done what it can but we need to bring him round. It’s not achieving anything, so we need to get him breathing on his own again. It may not work out and if he can’t do it himself, then I’m not sure if there is anything else we can do.”
Devlin puts his arm around me as I swallow hard. My heart beats faster and I stutter, “Can I see him?”
The doctor nods. “Briefly, because we’re about to remove the life support.”
He looks sympathetic and I try to harden my heart. Sly needs me to be strong and I won’t let him down.
The doctor leads us to the room and Devlin turns to face me, his look gentle and compassionate. “I’ll give you some time alone.”
I nod and then with a deep breath head inside the room fearful at what I may find.
The first thing I see are all the machines surrounding him. The noise is a steady rhythm that signifies every beat of his heart. His breathing is intensified by the tube running from his throat and he looks so small and weak in the large white hospital bed. I approach the bed and blink back the tears that threaten to overwhelm me but I stay as strong as I can. Reaching out, I grasp Sly’s hand and squeeze it tightly and whisper,
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